Memory Crystal
by TsurumiTetsuko39
Summary: Blind, brittle and weak, unbeneficial for combat. Despite that, they had the intelligence and sensitivity to assist them when needed. With such an abnormality, they could only rely on the mercy of others to live and survive. Turquoise, a cunning and intelligent gem, whose body is like no other. OC-centric, current story timeline is before Phos's birth. I do not own Houseki no Kuni.
1. Birth

**Hello my dear adorable readers! I have spent my mid-term holidays getting into the Houseki no Kuni or Land of the Lustrous fandom, and I must say, I'm utterly in love with it! From the plot, to the designs and don't get me started on the anime! And... I have been really absent with writting hehehe~**

 **Please, readers, I love my head very much and unlike Phos's my head will not be replaced! I'm just tellin' you guys I'M NOT DEAD. I'm just focusing on my favourite job of all time, procrastinating.**

 **This is a story that I uploaded on Wattpad and I decided that I should upload it here as well! Houseki no Kuni fanfictions are so scarce here! T3T**

 **Enjoy~ °˖** **(⁰** **⁰** **)**

"Sensei! Look over there!" Yellow Diamond yelled, already running towards the sparkling silhouette that was struggling to get up, but was struck down by a Lunarian's spear. They fell to the ground with a crash as their blue shards fell on the sand like morning dews.

"Gem ahead!" They ran towards the Lunarian that was trying to capture the blue gem and sliced it into wisps of air. With a swift movement of Kongo's hand, the Lunarians vanished into thin air.

Defeating the Lunarian was simple, but finding the complete set of the gem's body was a hard task.

"Sensei, they seem to be missing their legs. Its not here." Yellow Diamond said, forming a crease of worry on their forehead, they have been pacing back and forth around the area, searching for the gem's missing pieces, but they never found another speck of blue on the sand.

"It's not in the water either." Pink Topaz sighed and gripped their sword. "Sorry sensei." Pink Topaz apologized sheepishly, their voice was meek and pleasant to listen, they grip their sword tightly, as if they wanted to slice open a mountain due to frustration.

"...I see." Sensei could only mutter solemnly as their gloved hands worked on fixing the gem's face, the rest were already glued back. Sensei's gentle and nimble fingers quickly pieced the shards back, surprisingly the gem did not struggle and stayed completely still, as if they expected an attack.

"Done." They pulled away, and got up to observe the gem. A brilliant bright blue, as blue as the sky, it blinked its eyes, they were solid, unlike the rest of its body, they were not transparant. Their hair was long and straight, reaching it's back, right above their hip. It was strange, they came in thin strands, unlike the rest whose hair usually stick into clumps.

"You will be named, Turquoise." The gem blinked in confusion, seemingly confused. It looked around, hands roaming all over the sand underneath them, until they grasped Sensei's robes. A gleam of curiosity filled their eyes as their hands went up further, dainty fingers feeling the silky material of the robe. Their eyes looking at it distantly, as if they use their fingers to see.

Yellow diamond and Pink Topaz looked in confusion.

"What are they doing sensei?" [Pink Topaz]

"Is this normal?" [Yellow Diamond]

Kongo did not respond, he watched as Turquoise's hands reaching up to his gloved hands. Their mouth gaped in surprise at its hardness before humming in glee. They blinked in surprised and touched their throat, they made rumbling sounds as they felt the vibration at that particular spot. Kongo hummed in thought as they grasped Turquoise's hand.

"That is your throat. Turquoise, you'll have a lot to learn." He reached forward and lifted them in their arms bridal style. Turquoise yelped in surpriseat the warmth and the unfamiliar situation but did not struggle.

"Come, Yellow Diamond, Pink Topaz." Kongo's robes swished at the breeze as he started to make his way back to the school with a new gem in his arms.

""Yes sensei!"" Pink Topaz and Yellow Diamond followed in suit, running at a semi-fast pace as Kongo was faster with his wide strides. Their minds filled with curiosity at the new addition in their family.

XXX  
"What do you think, Rutile?" Kongo asked as soon as he saw Rutile halted for a moment and hummed in thought.

"Well I won't be able to do anything about the legs." Rutile looked at the incomplete gem with a twinge of sadness.

Kongo nodded solemnly, he'd expected that, it lessened the blow at his hope slightly. "Their eyes though." Rutile pursed their lips in a thinning line and gently grasped Turquoise's face. Turquoise jerked at the touch and tried to pulled away. Rutile noted this and assured them soothingly.

"Shh, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you, calm down." Turquoise didn't seem to understand them, but they seem to sense the gentle assurance in Rutile's words. Their tense muscles relaxed slightly and they allowed Rutile's fingers to move closer to their eyes, one of the most sensitive parts on their body as the gentle touch of Rutile's finger tip sent the gem shivering and a ringing sound in the air.

Yellow Diamond and Pink Topaz couldn't help but wince at the ringing sound. Kongo shuts his eyes. "I was going to give them surgery for their eyes, but it seems that, their eyes are the most sensitive part of them. It would be torture to them." Kongo's brows furrowed, frustrated that the only solution they had was instantly stumped.

"It seems that their inclusion are large particles, making their eyes appear solid, something interesting." _For the Lunarians_ , the hidden message rang in clearly in Yellow Diamond's and Pink Topaz's heads.

"In other words, their eyes are made of opaque crystals." [Rutile]

"What? Speak Japanese Rutile!" Pink Topaz cried in confusion as they grabbed Yellow Diamond, as if pleading for them to help them.

"Calm down, Pink Topaz! I'm sure Rutile will elaborate in a minute." They send Rulite a pleading look before Rutile sighed in resignation.

"An Opaque crystal is a crystal that doesn't allow light to pass through." [Rutile]

Pink Topaz's eyes lit up and dipped their head in understanding as they released Yellow Diamond's arm and gazed at Turquoise with an unreadable expression. "Does that mean they will never see?"[Y.D]

Gems live off sunlight alone, for them to be unable to absorb sunlight, would mean being unable function. Rutile could only sigh, with a grim expression, they pulled away from Turquoise and turned to Kongo with resentful eyes. "I'm sorry, but nothing can be done. Maybe Spinel may have a better solution to this."

Kongo reached out a hand and placed it onto Rutile's head gently. "You've done all you can with your best efforts. I'm proud of you."

Rulite's resentfulness seemed to lighten up, but their eyes were still dark at how useless they were in this situation. Yellow Diamond looked remorseful at this information, the beautiful gem sat on the medical bed looked around with curious innocent eyes, they are disabled and born with abnormalities, but still managed to look to spirited, full of life.

"Careful there!" Pink Topaz chided when Turquoise seemed to lose their balance on the medical bed, they gripped onto their shoulders and steadied them. "Wah, your hair is so luscious! Like Padparadscha's." That statement hit them harder than they realized.

Like Padparadscha, Turquoise was born with abnormalities, but they will be conscious most of the time. Unlike Rutile and Yellow Diamond who have interacted with Padparadshca many times, the rest would be lost on how to deal with this new addition.

"Red Beryl would be happy to style your hair." Pink Topaz smiles and combed Turquoise's hair with their hands. "Silky and flexible as well! We might have to hide you from them if they get too obssessed with you." They said jokingly with a chuckle at the end.

"That's it!" Rutile exclaimed and ran over to where Pink Topaz was and stroked Turquoise's hair with a wide (maniacal) grin on their face. "I can use their hair to make their legs!" Pink Topaz was on their side warning them to not pull Turquoise's hair with too much force.

Yellow Diamond pondered with this inforxmation, certainly they agree with it, but "It wouldn't really be enough." They blurted out.

Rutile's grin faltered as her lips curled into a small smile instead. "I suppose so. With this much, I would only be able to make a small portion of her thighs. But that's better than nothing." Kongo pondered about it, and nodded.

"I will allow it." Kongo then walked over to Rutile and placed their gloved hand on Rutile's head, a the smile widened on Rutile's face. "Behave." Kongo stroked Turquoise's head, which in return, Turquoise reached for his hand with their two hands.

Losing their support of balance, Turquoise began to fall backwards. "Aah?" Turquoise yelped in shock as they felt something supporting them from behind.

"Gah! Turquoise!" Rutile was back from gathering the tools they needed for the neccesary operation when they saw a flash of blue tumble down.

Kongo was quicker than them, their other hand supported Turquoise's back and propped them back upwards.

"Rutile, monitor them well." Kongo went over to Yellow Diamond and Pink Topaz next, putting their hands on their heads. "You did well today."

The contagious smile seemed to affect the stuffy atmosphere around them as Turquoise beamed with joy.

XXX  
"Alright, that's all I can do for now." Rutile pulled away and examined their work.

Turquoise's hair was snipped and it was now chin length. Red Beryl came over earlier and demanded for the scissors, swiftly Turquoise's hair was snipped from a messy shoulder length hair into chin length hair with a descending pattern on both sides starting from their hairstyle gave Turquoise a more sophisticated aura, but they look beautiful nonetheless.

"Now I'm going to piece these shards back. Hold still." Rutile took the shards and started on their left thigh (well it was barely considered a thigh).

With a deep breath, Rutile held the tweezers holding a blue shard dripping with yellow sap and placed it in a suitable spot.

Turquoise jerked at the sudden twinge pain as a surprised strangle escaped their lips, they gripped the edge of the medical chair tightly, not wanting to fall off again.

"Shh..." Pink Topaz offered to stay behind. They wrapped their gloved arms around Turquoise, murmuring soft soothing words into their ears. "You're doing great."The pain wasn't much, but they were still unfamiliar with it, so it came as a huge shock for them.

Rutile kept going, sticking more shards to their thighs, Turquoise gritted their teeth in pain, their mind still clouded with the pain but they knew they couldn't scream. For some reason, they knew they shouldn't scream. After a tormenting hour, the shards were finally used up, their inclusions worked well with attaching the shards as a part of their thighs.

Their thighs barely showed any progression. It seems like they'd have to find other material to attach to become their legs.

Turquoise had collapsed in Pink Topaz's arms, their head rested against their chest. "They did well." Pink Topaz smiled and carried Turquoise in a position so they would be able to sleep on the medical bed.

"Sigh, I've never been that exhausted from a simple operation before." Rutile sat on the ledge in the wall, a designed hole that connects the school to the outside.

With another exhausted sigh, Rutile laid on the ledge. "Wake me up if anything happens."

Pink Topaz didn't bother respond, they only stare absentmindedly at Turquoise before sitting on the ground near where Rutile was asleep. Their eyelids started to droop, it wouldn't hurt to get some shut eye... would it?

XXX  
Turquoise awoke, their eyelids fluttering open as a yawn escapes their mouth. Their fingers danced around the soft surface, they felt an edge close by on both sides. Hmm, they seem to still be on the soft thing that the strong but gentle hold placed them on.

Where are the rest? The one with a deep voice, the one whose touch is comforting; the one with the melodious voice, the one who supported them throughout the agony; the one with a serious deeper voice, the one who touched their face; the one with a low feminine voice, the first one to approach them; the one with a chirpy voice, the one who snipped their hair.

Did they leave them here? Troubled, they tried to prop themselves back up, their limbs at their side shook at their own weight. Somehow they managed to hoist themselves to stay upright with their lower half on the soft surface beneath, with the support of their two limbs holding on the edge of the bed of course.

They perked their ears up, listening, searching for any signs of familiarity. There was a gentle woosh of cool wind brushed pass their hair, accompanied with the faint rustling behind them. They turned around, there's life there, not this stifling silence. The voices should be there. Dragging themselves slowly, they moved, but their limbs very soon felt the mocking edge.

They gulped nervously. How far would the drop be? Should they just stay put and await the voice's return? Should they risk themselves... feel pain, the same pain when they break?

Before the voice's arrival, there was eerie music in the air. They weren't given a chance to recover when there was a quick swoosh and their lower limbs broke. They screamed, it was pain, miserable, helpless, unfair. Then they heard yells, and there was another woosh, the music dispersed, as if it was never there in the first place.

Then they met the voices, ones so kind, comforting, sympathizing and warm. They felt all kinds of things, nervousness, warmth, happiness, pain, comfort, satisfaction... it could go on and on. There was another gentle brush of their hair, it ruffled their clothes as well. Right, they would have to find them. They want to feel those things again. So weird and foreign but not unwelcomed.

Alright. They have decided.

They started slow, lowering themselves with shaky arms, laying down on their stomach, using their limbs, they pushed themselves, slowly reaching the edge. They felt the lower part of their body dangling in the air, losing the support of the soft surface. Pursing their lips while steeling their will, they continued this motion.

Their plan was going smoothly up until half of their body dangled in the air. Their limbs strained to keep a hold on the soft surface.

Just a little more. There was the wind again, the soft things wrapped around their body (A:N Clothes.) swished along them. They're getting closer, they can feel the cool touch more now. Gritting their teeth, they pushed and kept holding onto the soft object. Soon, their whole body was off the surface, dangling in the air.

Their limbs struggled to keep hold of the thick object, with a swift adjustment, they grabbed hold of the much thinner object.

To their demise, the thinner object started slipping, plummeting them down. A scream rang in the air, snapping Pink Topaz awake.

XXX

"...Mmh?" Pink Topaz stirred awake, their bleary eyes blinking repeatedly, trying to shrug away the sleep that was heavy on their lids.

When their blurry vision was finally able to focus, there was a lump of blue eerily on the floor. Their eyes were snapped wide open as they quickly stumbled towards Turquoise.

"Turquoise! Turquoise!" They said frantically as they repeatedly shook the still gem's shoulder. Turquoise's scrunched expression was smoothen out as they smile happily.

"You idiot!" Pink Topaz sighed in relief and hugged the gem that was too comfortable in their hold. "Why did you come down like that? Thank goodness you weren't broken."

Pink Topaz carried Turquoise and placed them on the medical bed. "Alright, stay still. I will see if Sensei has implemented your room yet." They flashed Turquoise a smile and left room.

Turquoise waited, for Pink Topaz to talk again, but was met with silence. Their brows furrowed with worry. Where's the voice? Did it leave again? Their shoulders slumped as they sighed, all the effort for nothing.

"Oh? Are you the new gem?" Came another voice, this voice was very lively, they could detect interest and amusement.

Turquoise turned around, mood instantly rising at happier swings at the arrival of the new voice. "Well look at you, all pumped up after your surgery." They chuckled, voice tinkling melodiously in Turquoise's ears. "I should get some gloves first." Hearing the voice turning away, Turquoise reached out to grab the other's limbs, but when they made contact, there was a tingling sensation that made them immediately retract their limbs.

"Ah, sorry, I don't have my gloves with me. I guess it must have hurt." They narrowed their eyes, a bit more wary about the voice.

There was a yawn in the back, soft clinking to be heard until they speak. "Hey Opal."

XXX

"Ah, Rutile." Opal greeted the sleepy doctor, they watched Rutile stretch their tired limbs in exhaustion with a blank expression. "Who's this? Has sensei given them a name?" Opal stayed a comfortable distance away from the blue gem so they wouldn't collide and cause discomfort for them.

"Yep, this is Turquoise." Rutile placed a gloved hand onto Turquoise's shoulder, ignoring their jerk at the sudden touch. "I guess you're not the youngest anymore." Rutile flashed Opal a knowing look. The 50 year old gem nodded, happy at the change that Turquoise unknowingly brought. That meant the others won't be going easy on them any longer, the sooner they would be able to head out for patrol!

Rutile spotted the gleam in Opal's eyes with a chuckle. "You would have to be at least 150 years old to head out to patrol, you know that right?" Opal answered with a roll of their eyes. "I know, I know." They mumbled. Rutile turned over to grab the clothes that Red Beryl placed on the counter when they were asleep, they were well measured and stitched to fit Turquoise's body.

Unlike their's, Turquoise's attire was a new version of the their hibernation attire that Red Beryl had been working on, it was simple for them to put on as all they needed to do was slip it on from the top. _Sensei said it was a "Dress"_ Red Beryl left a small note for Rutile. Opal looked at the garment curiously, as they never seen an attire like this.

"What's that?" Rutile shrugged as they untied the loose ribbon around Turquoise. "A dress, Red Beryl had gone to create a new prototype for Taru ever since they stopped by to snip their hair. For an hour of work, this dress is not bad."

 **A/N: Turquoise is said as Tarukuoise in Japanese, Turquoise will be referred as Taru in conversations.**

The dress was full of frills as expected, but it was in black and white colour to match the uniform scheme. Opal raised a brow at the nickname for the blue gem, but hummed in acknowledgement. "Now that you're not the youngest, you should act more maturely as Taru's role model. Shake off that sense of irresponsibility will you?" Opal pouted at their chiding but sighed in response. "I will try-" Opal blinked dazedly, as if they just saw a flower turn into a jellyfish.

"Wait, does that mean I have to _mentor_ them?" Rutile dipped their head in response as they smoothen out the wrinkled dress, oblivious to the dread that filled Opal's chest. "B-but I've never mentored someone before!" Rutile pulled back to examined their work. "There's a first time for anything, you never know until you try."

They quoted Sensei's words of encouragement during their first serious operation, and to top it off, they had to fix Yellow Diamond on their first try. They had been so scared, hands shaking, lips quivering at the thought of them messing up. If they messed up, if the after effects were not fixable, _We might lose a member of the Diamonds._

That thought alone was enough to send them to their knees. Sensei immediately supported them up as soon as they started swooning. "It's okay, you've done this before." Rutile gulped anxiously, they wanted to rebut something back, but they weren't able to find their voice. Yes they've done it before, simple operations, not gluing a head back to someone. "There's a first time for anything, you never know until you try."

Rutile hung tightly on Sensei's words, during the whole operation, they held those words closely to their hearts, they repeated them like a mantra in their mind, as if once they stop, they will fail and mess up. The operation had been successful, with yellow diamond waking up the minute after they glued them back together.

The grateful smile on Yellow Diamond's face reminded them, they chose to be a doctor, and a doctor they will be.

"Still! What if I mess things up! I may not like it, but I still can't change how scatterbrained and clumsy I am!" Opal whined despite knowing their fate was set in stone. Rutile gave them a side glance before proceeding to ignore them. They tried to lift Turquoise, pleasantly happy that the gem was not that heavy.

The only problem was the transportation. Rutile frowned, the crease only deepened when Turquoise starting wriggling in their grasp, they felt uncomfortable at the hold. As much as they would like to dump Turquoise onto Opal, they still couldn't help but pity the second youngest gem for they would have to mentor a gem with abnormalities.

"I would need to find some material soon..." The faster they could find new material for Turquoise, the easier Turquoise's life would be.

"Rutile, Rutile! Chrys and Alex are outside doing patrol, they've encountered some Lunarians, Sensei wants us to get going!" Fluorite yelled, giving Turquoise and Opal a side glance as they waited for Rutile to get their tools.

"Opal, you stay with them." Fluorite pointed at Turquoise before rushing off to meet up with the rest of the Gems. Rutile placed Turquoise into Opal's arms despite their desperate gaze. "Be careful now, don't break them. And remember, Taru is... an abnormal. They can't see, do not let them be out of your sight Opal."

Opal could only keep their complains to themselves as the two quickly vanished from their sight. Opal quickly lowered Turquoise on the ground as soon as they felt their arms giving away, the last thing they wanted was to break them. Opal sighed, they didn't want to stay here in this boring room watching the gem all day either.

With an inward sigh, they turned over to face Turquoise that had their eyes shut, hair being blown by the gentle breeze. Opal couldn't help but soften at the sight, all the displeasure from having their plans ruined dispersing into nothing but feeble distraction.

"Well? What do you want to do?" Opal smiled, moving away to grab a pair of gloves.

Turquoise didn't say a word, their lips tightly sealed. That was when there was a faint flutter near their shoulder. They turned over, the fluttering got closer as they felt the soft air fluctuation in contrast to the breeze that was blowing their hair all over their face.

"Ah, a butterfuly." Opal smiled gently at the intrigued gem whom reached a hand near the butterfly, only to have the butterfly flee outside in fear. Turquoise looked dejected as their shoulders slumped, Opal chuckled a little before picking Turquoise into their arms as they walked outside.

"Don't worry, there's plenty more outside." It should be alright to head out, the Lunarians are taken cared by Sensei and the others anyway. Opal placed them on the ledge as they did a passement over the ledge, landing swiftly on their feet before carrying Turquoise in their arms again.

 **A/N: A passement is also known as speed vault, which is essentially a vault used in Parkour. A Traceur or Traceuses will use this vault to quickly overpass an obstacle, such as a low wall, railing or barrier, while preserving forward momentum for additional movements such as a roll or underbar.**

With quick unsteady strides Opal managed to find a spot to watch the sunset amidst a patch of wildflowers. Butterflies roamed freely, quickly returning back to flutter among the flowers before landing on Turquoise and Opal. A wide smile broke on Turquoise face as they felt the air fluctuations around them, so lively as they come and go.

Opal picked some flowers and mended a flower crown, using a flower they've never used before as their centre as they mended the rest of the flowers around it. With a smile, they plopped it on Turquoise's head, surprising the gem as they raised a hand to touch it, gentle with their strength as they fiddled with the soft petals.

The flower they picked as the centre was a bright yellow daffodil, it seemed to suit Turquoise a lot, Opal thought absentmindedly as they watched the gem play around with the butterflies, looking hilariously giddy when they got a butterfly to land on their finger.

 **Daffodils symbolize rebirth and new beginnings. :D**

 **Opal is my OC, their design is quite generic because they were designed by yours truly ;) This was supposed to be in a different chapter but I thought this chapter would be too short if I did that.**

 **Thank you for reading :D**


	2. Home

**I'd also like to thank the dear readers who told me about my grammatical errors! Please do not hesitate to message me or comment here about the errors you spotted, I will do my best to edit them ASAP.**

 **The previous chapter was is supposed to give you guys a feeling of the timeline as I mentioned Pink Topaz and Chrysoberyl. Please do not treat Opal differently just because they are my OC, I recommend you looking at them as a gem that exists, but not mentioned.**

 **I can't reveal all the cards yet, so please bear with it for now. :D**

Sensei asked for a gathering at the hall after the gems' return, everyone chattered among themselves, excited as they heard a new gem was found on Shore of Nascency and would be living among them.

"Settle down now." Sensei's voice reverberated in the hall, silencing the gems instantly as they gave their full attention to them.

"As you all have heard, we found a new addition to our family." The gems smiled as some cheered, happy for their new member. "This is Turquoise." Sensei turned around and carried Turquoise into their arms, surprising many of the ones present.

"I didn't even notice there was someone behind Sensei..."  
"Me either, they're surprisingly silent for a new born."  
"How interesting!"

"Turquoise was met with some difficulties as you can see before your eyes right now. One, they were found with no legs, it is possible they were swept off by the current before we arrived. Two, they are blind, meaning they won't be able to see. Their eyes are compact with solid inclusions which are unable to absorb sunlight. Unfortunately, their structure is an entire different foundation that we have never seen before to do an operation safely."

The others felt themselves sympathizing over the newcomer who seemed over oblivious and curious about everything around them as their arms reached out to grab hold of something within their reach. By accident, their bare hands found their way to Sensei's face, which they touched with interest.

Despite this, Sensei continued talking with a straight face as Turquoise's hand roamed over their face, causing some of them to snicker at the comical scene.

"With that said, I wish for all of you to look out for our youngest family member with care and love." Immediately after Sensei ended their speech they started asking questions in a rowdy manner.

"Sensei, where are they going to stay?" Green Diamond queried with a bright smile on their face. "Beside Opal's room." Sensei replied swiftly.

Opal blinked in surprise before nodding, it was to be expected as they were the second youngest.

"Will they walk?" Ruby asked. "When we find a suitable material, yes they will."

"Can I measure them again? I need more inspiration for this new style of clothing!" Red Beryl exclaimed as Aquamarine held their shoulders. "Calm down Red Beryl! Taru needs some space first! We can think about the clothes later." "But Akua~~~"

"Sensei, how about the transport?" Opal raised their hand and asked. The others' clamor seemed to calm down a little at the question and waited for Sensei's answer. "That is something that we have to work on. Rutile, Opal, Green Fluorite and Spinel stay behind after this. The rest of you may retire for the night."

The others bid each other goodnight, a few of them wishing Turquoise good night, although the latter did not respond.

"Sensei?" Spinel called out, curious as to why they were asked to stay behind. "What have you noticed about Taru?"

Opal raised a brow, but Rutile responded first. "They were born with abnormalities." Sensei nodded. "They are very quiet." Fluorite noted, when they summoned Rutile earlier, Turquoise hasn't made a single sound. "Their inclusions are dull." Spinel pondered as they raised their hands to their chin in thought.

"They are also very ... restraint. When I brought them outside, they did not move, only after a while when I didn't do anything, they started to play around with the butterflies."

Sensei nodded, satisfied with their reports as they shifted the sleeping Turquoise into a more comfortable position, the gem had dozed off in midst of their talk. "Every one of your reports are spot on, these are very odd traits for a newborn to have. I'm sure you remembered how Opal was."

Opal flushed with embarrassment as Fluorite chuckled, Rutile on the other hand didn't bother as they laughed while pointing a finger at Opal. "You used to be so cute! Asking about everything with that cute lisp of yours as you call out _Rutile, Rutile!_ " Rutile mocked as Opal bristled in embarrassment. Spinel nudged with their elbow as they wiped on a smirk.

"Right? Rutile, what are you doing with that? Please Spinel, lend me that hammer of yours!" Spinel said with a mocking lisp as they batted their eyelashes in a dramatic manner. Green Fluorite smiled at their partner's antics.

"Shut-" Sensei suddenly came over and placed a hand over their mouth before raising their own index finger up to their lips.

"Shh." Opal pursed their lips, right Turquoise was asleep. "As entertaining it would be, please refrain from raising your voice at this time of night." Opal nodded as they shot Rutile and Spinel a side glare, which Rutile responded by giving them a knowing smile as Spinel's smirk widened.

"Opal, why do think Taru has these traits?" Opal fell into deep thought, the others could almost hear the intelligent gem's brain gears cranking and pumping knowledge. "I believe that they could be traumatized from the attack from the Lunarians. They responded harshly to physical contact that is close to their head, flinching and retracting their head in fear. The Lunarians could have tried to harvest their eyes from Turquoise, which caused them to back away from touches.

About their silence, I would have to say that some strong instincts were engraved in their body. Noise is equivalent to attraction, I believe they remained silent out of fear of being attacked."

Opal conceded, their eyes darkened at the unstable mentality this gem donned right after gaining awareness. Why them? Opal thought as their heart wrenched at the sight of a vulnerable harmless gem asleep with a serene expression on their face in Sensei's arms.

Sensei could only sigh and place a hand on Opal's head, comforting the ever caring gem. "It is hard to believe, but we can only accept their fate. We may not be able to change the past, but we can be there for them in the future." Sensei cited, looking at the others in the room as emphasis. They dipped their head in acknowledgement, ready to help their new family member eagerly.

"Sensei, as much as I understand this point, I don't understand why I'm here." Green Fluorite pondered with an awkward tone in their voice. Sensei shuts his eyes and sighed. "I've called you here to discuss about the terms of transportation for Taru. We need a device, or some sort of tool to allow them to move from one place to another by themselves, we won't be able to be by their side forever. I also intend to find a way to unravel the complexity of their new foundation."

The four nodded, understanding the severity of that aspect, if the Lunarians were to attack Turquoise when they were not around... Opal shook their head, shrugged the depressing thoughts aside.

"Opal, before you come of age to participate in the patrols, you will be tasked with Taru's wellbeing." Sensei placed Turquoise into Opal's arms and dismissed them for the night. After the sounds of their clinking footsteps faded into nothing but cricket songs, only did they resume their discussion.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Sensei's low voice asked, just a level above a whisper. The trio immediately began thinking, that very moment brought the them closer than either would imagine.

xX One month later Xx  
Turquoise proved to be a fast and intelligent learner, they managed to grasp hold of the language and mannerisms faster than any of them, almost as if _they've done this before_. Opal was there the entire time, assisting them about the structure of the school, letting them know about the world around them and helping them move about.

"Turquoise," Opal was still the only person who called them by their full name despite everyone, even Sensei calling them Taru. "there's someone I'd like you to meet." Turquoise nodded mutely, intrigued at whatever Opal wants to show them.

There was the sound of a door swinging open, the scent of books flooded their senses as their nose scrunched at the oddly intense yet soothing sensation. "Where are we?" Although they were curious, they learnt to not move too much, their weight isn't exactly light, adding on excessive movements make it hard for Opal to carry them.

"The library." Opal's hushed response answered. "Ghost, Lapis! Are you here?" Opal called out, keeping their voice at a normal speaking level to not upset Turquoise's ears. Although their voice was at a relatively low level, it still reverberated in the silent room. There was a set of steady clinking footsteps heading towards them, one was more refined than the other.

A light chuckle teased their ears as the footsteps stopped. "Funny of you to visit Opal. I heard you were busy lately?" There was a smooth voice, it radiated regality despite swimming in playful currents.

"Hello Opal." There was a hushed monotone voice, a big contrast from the voice before that. Opal chuckled sheepishly as they seated Turquoise on a wooden chair. "You know why I've been." There was a set of short footsteps coming closer towards Turquoise as they felt someone grasp their hand. "Hello Turquoise, my name is Lapis Lazuli." They felt a thumb caressing the top of their hand, it felt weird, but they only gave them a small smile.

"I'm Ghost Quartz." The other voice supplied. "Did you guys find anything new recently?" Opal chimed in. The hand that was grasping theirs let go as Ghost replied. "Nothing of note."

Turquoise turned over to Opal, "What are you guys finding about?" Opal eagerly explained. "We are compiling an encyclopedia with all about us as a species. Those butterflies and other creatures are called insects. We fall into a group called we dub as crystallized organisms." Turquoise tilt their head in question, confused at the foreign words in their explanation.

"Long story short, we record down all known information to assist our future generations. Things like our weaknesses, our strength, our special needs and more. Opal on the other hand is much more interested to find ways to overcome our weaknesses." Lapis helpfully supplied when they saw the questions in Turquoise's eyes.

Turquoise oh-ed in understanding. "Did Sensei task you with this?" Turquoise found it hard to believe that only a group of three had been working on such a great task. This time, Ghost responded. "No, we have decided to do this on our own accord. Sensei has given us his approval since we have two incredibly intelligent gems on our team."

Turquoise heard Opal bristle with embarrassment as Lapis sighed in resignation. "We need to do something with that self-esteem of yours. Although we are sharper than you, you still overwhelm us in combat." "Yes! You tell them Lapis!"

Turquoise could only smile at the harmonious scene, the perpetual dejection only seemed to grow inside their chest, filling them with a stubborn bitter taste.

"Well, I just came by to borrow a book. Do you have the book about Legends?" They heard a pair of footsteps turning away from them and heading father into the scent of books. "You mean this?" Ghost asked, they heard Opal giving a nod of approval as they walked away with Ghost.

"So, I heard you're the smartest one yet." Lapis's smooth voice trailed over the silence. Turquoise shook their head as they lowered their head unconsciously. "You are exaggerating." Lapis chuckled softly before hovering closer, their hands clasped on Turquoise's shoulders as they whispered into Turquoise's ear. Their hair gently brushed against Turquoise's neck as they leaned over.

"Am I? Isn't it strange that you appeared on the shore with a group of 12 Lunarians when they usually appear in a group of 24? I heard your inclusions are also something we've never seen before, from what Rutile told me, your eyes is a result of an inorganic chemical reaction... Are you really as innocent as you portray yourself as?" Lapis's statements broke their vision of reality in a few seconds as they froze.

 _Are you?_ I don't know, I don't remember anything, I don't know anything!

 _CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!_

The chilling sounds of clanking filled their ears, soon accompanied with the sound of rattling of chains.

 _STOP! NO! PLEASE!_ _ **STOP, I'M BEGGING YOU!**_

Unconsciously, they began to shake in Lapis's grasp.

"Hey, Lapis! Ghost said you guys are cataloguing the books, I guess we'll visit some other time." Opal interjected the tension building between Turquoise and Lapis with a lighthearted tone as they skipped along, scooping Turquoise into their arms and bidding the two librarians goodbye. Opal didn't seem to realize the shaken gem in their arms as they hummed their way out of the library.

"Aren't they just so cute?" Lapis asked as they swiftly pushed their hair back behind their shoulder, only to have the stubborn handful of hair fall back to its original stance before their shoulder. Ghost only agreed softly as their silver eyes lingered on the exit of the library that Opal disappeared into.

X  
"Hey, Turquoise. I know Lapis and Ghost are much more reserved than others, but I assure you that they mean good." Opal said after a distance away from the library. Turquoise stopped shaking in their arms, but they were still stiffer and silent than usual. Almost like they reverted to back when they first met them.

Opal shook their head, refusing to dwell on negative thoughts as they started to think of a way to cheer the younger up. Deciding that some fresh air would do good, Opal seated Turquoise amidst a patch of wildflowers, with the gentle wind brushing them occasionally. After some moments of silence, Opal reached for Turquoise's hand.

"I don't know what Lapis said to you, but don't take it to heart. They've always been very curious, they probably found your adaptation to the school a bit too abnormal for them to sweep it under a rug."

Opal brought Turquoise into a gentle embrace as Turquoise rested their head on Opal's shoulder. "Do you want to share it with me? I won't speak of it to anyone." Turquoise stayed silent. It seemed almost forever before they finally opened their mouth to speak.

"Lapis said everything about my arrival was suspicious." The sense of fear gnawed within them, as if threatening to swallow them whole. "They also said about the Lunarians that attacked me on the day that I was born were lesser than usual and my eyes are not a normal reaction, something about inorganic..." They mumbled softly as they clench their fists as their lips quivered in fear.

The calming sounds of the trees and bushes among them rustling in the wind were muddled by the eerie sound of clanking and rattling of chains with the sounds of inaudible yelling joining in the orchestra of the devil.

Opal tightened their hold as they buried their face into Turquoise's shoulder. "So what if you're different? So what if you arrived differently? So what if your eyes are inorganic?" Turquoise felt themselves being wrapped securely, not even the almighty wind could touch them then.

"It doesn't change the fact that you're one of us. Listen to me Turquoise, even if you did hide something from us, I will always be on your side. Even if you were inorganic, it doesn't change the fact that you've been _born_ into this world, you live among us, you live in a family. Family stick together." Turquoise could only slump in Opal's embrace, whatever fear that clung their heart... is irrelevant at this point.

"Thank you." Opal ruffle the younger's hair fondly, "No, there's no need to thank me. We're family. Its natural that we help each other." Opal chortled as they unwrap their arms. Turquoise heard them sigh as they heard a soft clunk, Turquoise was sure that Opal laid on the grass again despite Red Beryl's protest.

"... Do you still want to hear the Legend?" Opal asked as they eyed the glaring midday sun. Turquoise nodded as they settled down beside Opal, nestling into their side as they hummed in approval.

"A long time ago," Opal flipped the yellowed pages of the old book, it was put together by Sensei a long time ago, some say it was before the birth of Red Diamond. "this planet, which creates this land we live on broke after it was visited by a meteor for the sixth time."

"What's a meteor?" Turquoise asked. Opal patiently answered, "It's a rock from outer space, and please ask your questions after I'm done.

"Because of that, the planet gave birth to six moons. There was nothing left but an island, so all life fled to the ocean. Some creatures who had flourished when the moon was still one were too slow in their escape and sunk into the seas, they were eaten by tiny creatures on the ocean's floor, turned into inanimate objects, crystallized over the ages and rose to the surface at the Shore of Nascency. In rare instances, we, the Gems successfully were born." Opal concluded, an unreadable look in their eyes as they shut the book.

"Do you think we can meet with the tiny creatures?" Turquoise asked, eyes brimming with wonder and curiosity. Opal thought about it and shrugged, "No one knows. We never swam in the ocean before."

Turquoise turned over to Opal. "Why?" Opal placed the book beside them as answered wistfully. "The ocean may harm us, to be more precise the salt in there could harm us. Plus the strong currents might shatter us if we're too brittle." Opal sighed as stared at the bright blue sky. "I wonder what's in the ocean... I wonder if... there's other intelligent beings like us."

Turquoise mused to themselves. "Of course there is," They lift their head. "don't the Lunarians count?"

Opal stilled, they were stunned speechless before sighing. "Oh Turquoise, please don't let anyone hear of this." Turquoise furrowed their brows in confusion. "Why?"

"Some of us lost our partners to them. They take us to the moon, separate our family and cause sadness." Opal said apathetically, it has always been a sore subject as they never felt any sort of strong attachment to anyone.

"Why? Why do they attack us?" Turquoise asked, ignoring the sullen mood around them. "Sensei said they use us as ornaments, to decorate their weapons. They practically use us to attack us." Opal harrumphed, feeling moody about the whole subject.

"To add on that, they're all cowards. Attacking us from the sky like they're looking down on us! Even if they are intelligent, they are far too arrogant for me to talk with them!" Turquoise laughed, imagining a scenario with a seething Opal and a haughty Lunarian... Oh that would be a sight to see!

"Yeah, yeah enough laughing at your senpai you cheeky kouhai." Opal nudged Turquoise with their elbow. "What Senpai? I only hear a childish gem complaining to me." Opal growled playfully as they jabbed Turquoise in their waist. "Wanna say that again you brat?"

Turquoise laughed as they return the jab with a tickle at the neck. "You're on."

Time passes by so fast when you're having fun.

X  
While the duo were off minding their own business, the rest have been busy renovating the school. Green Fluorite and Rutile were seen in to be discussing about a transportation device for Turquoise in Green Fluorite's workshop, drawing and debating on complicated theories to create the most convenient invention for them. They've occasionally asked Lapis for advice and suggestions.

"Why don't we just find some material for Turquoise?" Rutile answered in response. "We aren't familiar with Turquoise's foundations yet, Spinel proposes that if plan A, which is finding suitable material, fails then we should have a transportation device ready for Turquoise."

Lapis nodded in understanding as they hummed in thought, brushing their hair back once again. Their eyes laid on a bowl with nails and bolts.

"The purpose of a device would be going as far as the person controlling it wants with less force and less inconvenience." Lapis walked over to the bowl and picked up a bolt, rolling it across the table's surface. Watching it stop after a few rolls as the bolt's sides were cornered.

Green Fluorite watched intensely, taking in every bit of information given by that simple gesture. "Uneven edges..." They mumbled. They walked over to Lapis and picked up the fallen bolt, their green eyes narrowed at the rusty bolt in between their gloved fingers.

"Were the edges to be removed..."  
"They will go father and smoother." Lapis concluded. Green Fluorite raised their head, bowing in thanks to Lapis's advice. Lapis's eyes widened slightly as they locked eyes, the determination in Green Fluorite's eyes reminded them of the intense summer heat in the grass plains. Lapis curled their lips into a smile as they tilt their head skittishly. "It's nothing."

"Well, Rutile you should get some rest. So should you Lapis." Green Fluorite grabbed their coat and slapped on their safety goggles, rummaging for some tools from a drawer soon after. Lapis and Rutile both knew that was none other than courtesy as Green Fluorite wanted some alone time to work on ideas.

"I'll see you around Green Fluo." Rutile turned away and waved a hand in farewell. Lapis said nothing as they went in the opposite direction, heading towards the library. The sounds of rhythmic sawing was the last thing they heard after shutting the door.

X

"Waaargh~" Spinel yawned as they flexed their arms. Green Fluorite gave the other a tired glance as they sighed. "I'm tired as well. The theory last night gave me a headache." They looked tiredly at the cloudy sky.

"Sucks to be you." Spinel mumbled as they muffled another yawn. They were heading towards the Shore of Nascency to harvest some suitable material for Turquoise.

"What's their hardness?" Green Fluorite asked as soon as they arrived. "5.5... something like Apatite or Opal would be enough." Spinel answered, immediately pulling their sword out and swinging it as if they were swinging a baseball bat, creating a gust of wind that blew the sand away, revealing the glinting variety of materials underneath.

"What does apatite look like? What sort of opals?" Green Fluorite asked once again, wanting to make sure they got the right material so they don't waste time. Spinel sighed and took out a piece of paper from their bag, they handed it over to Green Fluorite who took it and immediately skimmed over the contents of that piece of paper.

The piece of paper listed down the characteristics of Apatite and Opal. Green Fluorite could only keep their complains to themselves as they murmur softly under their breath, "This is going to take a long time."

X  
After hours of searching, they decided to take a break. Green Fluorite sighed as they leaned on the mountain, exhausted from all the digging and searching. "Green Fluo!" Spinel pulled Green Fluorite away from the crumpling wall that they were leaning on.

A gust of sand and dust fogged up their vision and clogged their mouths. "Cough! Cough!" Green Fluorite and Spinel waved as they blinked the sand away from their eyes. "What is this?" Green Fluorite mumbled as they stared dumbfounded at the sight before them.

Behind the crumpling wall is a cave full of materials that grew from a small speck of light from a hole in the ceiling. The light was reflected by the gemstones' created a mirage of a hidden paradise.

Spinel said nothing as they enter the cave, their stoic demeanor still in place despite the wondrous discovery. They bent down and picked a gemstone to observe, taking their hammer from their tool belt to gently tap the stone. The stone vibrated in their hold as a glint of happiness appeared in their eyes. "These must have washed up ashore before the waves brought in some dirt that covered the cave up." Spinel theorized as Fluorite looked around in wonder.

"Amazing! And to think that it was here the whole time!" Green Fluorite beamed happily as they skipped around, examining the cave. "It's deep as well!" Their voice echoed in the cave. Spinel got up and went to the left. Green Fluorite saw this and immediately went right, bending down to pick up some stones as they whipped out their hammer to estimate the hardness of the stone.

"Found some!" Green Fluorite yelled as they held up a handful of Apatite, skipping over to Spinel to confirm the gemstone's identity. Spinel held the hammer and swung down on the Apatite that vibrated pleasantly in their hold. "It is Apatite, thank you Green Fluo."

Spinel threw the Apatite in their bag as Green Fluorite nodded and went to search for more.

By the time they concluded their hunt for materials, the sun was setting. "We've been in that cave for a whole afternoon?" Green Fluorite remarked as they flexed their sore arms, adjusting the bag on their shoulders every so often to lessen the pressure.

"We've lost track of time. I suppose we should head back soon before Sensei starts to worry over us." Spinel sighed inwardly as they remembered the long journey back. "I agree, let us be off! I can't wait to retire for the day." Green Fluorite declared as they brushed their bangs off their face.

X  
"Topaz! Please be careful! That area isn't dry—" Before Euclase could continue, Topaz already stepped onto the slippery surface and fell down with a yelp. "Sigh, how am I supposed to deal with you?" Sapphire pulled the gem up and brought them to a safe spot.

Topaz pouted and started to examine themselves for any injuries. "How was I supposed to know it wasn't dry? It wasn't sparkling when I wanted to try it out!" Sapphire sighed once more as they pointed to the sky.

"That's because there sun is setting!" Topaz groaned before yelling back. "Then you tell me how was I supposed to know it's not dry!" Sapphire sucked a deep breath, ready to yell back when Peridot stepped in between the two with a chilling smile. "If you two are done bickering please get ready to mend your mistakes." They pointed to the dent that was left behind when Topaz fell on the wet cement.

Topaz groaned as they went over to grab the bucket and the steel trowel obediently to avoid Peridot's wrath. Sapphire smirked with victory, only to feel a sudden gentle tap on their shoulder. They turned around and was greeted with Peridot's chilling smile, Sapphire felt their smirk being washed away to the never ending abyss as Peridot spoke.

"You too Sapphire, the more helpful hands, the fast we'll get the job done." Sapphire scurried over to grab their own bucket and trowel and glared at the snickering Topaz. Euclase walked over, their loose ponytail swishing behind their back. "Thank you for helping out, Peridot. This ramp will certainly be completed quicker."

Peridot reverted back to their resting face and shook their head. "I didn't help much, I just returned from patrol after all. I came by to check on the progress." Euclase chuckled as they raised a hand to their cheek. "Everyone has been helping out, the younger ones most. Now that night is beckoning we should retire for the day."

Pink Fluorite nodded, satisfied at the younger ones pitching in to help. "Oh that reminds me, are Green Fluo and Spinel back yet?"

Euclase shook their head. "Not a single word from them." The worried gem frowned as they pursed their lips. "They set out around late morning and we've heard nothing ever since Neptunite's and Benitoite's return."

Wiping off their worried expression, they turned over to Peridot. "Why? Is there something up?" Peridot shook their head. "Sensei was just curious of the progress on the transportation device." Euclase nodded in understanding as they continued to eye the setting sun with worry.

"We're back!" The familiar voice rang behind them. Euclase and Peridot turned around and met with a grinning Green Fluorite and a smirking Spinel. "What is this I hear? Worried about lil' ol' me?" Spinel teased as Euclase sighed at their antics.

"What took you guys so long?" Spinel sighed at the memory as Green Fluorite enthusiastically reported their discovery. "We found this big hidden cave full of gemstones! They were all so healthy and they were much more cleaner than the ones on the beach!" Euclase blinked in surprise as Peridot leaned closer in interest.

"Really?" Green Fluorite dipped their head eagerly. "Indeed! It was so cool! I found it as well!" Euclase tilted their head in question. Spinel rolled their eyes and answered it for them. "By pure coincidence. They were leaning on this dirt wall which crumpled due to their weight and revealed this massive cave in the mountain."

Euclase nodded, pleasantly happy with their findings. "That is wonderful. Thank you for your hard work Green Fluo, Spinel." Green Fluorite grinned once again. "It's our pleasure!"

Peridot blinked before relaying the message Sensei wanted to tell them. "Ah yes, Sensei asked me to tell you to meet him right after you return. He wants to speak with you." Green Fluorite blinked and tilted their head. "What does he want to speak about?" Peridot shrugged.

Spinel sighed once again before grabbing Green Fluorite by their arm. "Come what may, we better be off lest we provoke his anger."

 **A/N: Just in case it's not clear, Green Fluorite is a carpenter while Spinel is a gem expert. I wanted to let Spinel's role be played by Rutile but I decided against it as the doctor has way too much shit on their hands. Lapis is not evil by any means, they just have this playful demeanor.**

 **If you're wondering (most likely not but I'm too much of a chatterbox to not say it) why I didn't wrap Lapis deeper into this despite them being really fucking smart, its because I picture Lapis as a gem with a huge amount of curiosity with intelligence to back them. Were Lapis to get closer to Turquoise and release the tight reins of their curiosity...**

 **I'll let you guys dwell on that yourselves~**


	3. Taking The First Step

**Sorry for the long wait everyone! This author had their final exams, and... most of them are the result of my overwhelming ability of procrastination—**

 **Either way, enough about me, now it's time for Chapter 3! I made it longer than the last one to make up for my absence!**

 **Memory Crystal_3**

"Turquoise! Look at this!" Opal grabbed them by their hand and placed their hand on top of a smooth object. Turquoise they frowned as they struggled to figure the unknown object out by its smooth texture. "What is this?" They could almost feel Opal's smile as blurted out words that Turquoise never expected to hear so soon.

"It's your new pair of legs!" Turquoise only gaped in shock, their brain failing to process this sudden information.

"Legs..?" Opal laughed at their dumbfounded answer as they embraced Turquoise happily. "Green Fluo and Spinel went out the other day in search for materials that would fit you. By some miracle there was a mass of healthy gemstones hidden behind a soft dirt wall, and better yet they have your materials!" Opal squealed in excitement.

"You sound like you're happier than Turquoise." Spinel blurted as they slumped onto their chair. "I agree." Rutile deadpanned, "They're most likely happy because they wouldn't have to carry them everywhere." Opal pouted, "So what? It's only natural to be happy for my partner—" Spinel cocked a brow at that. "Hold on, partner?" Opal froze, noticing their slip in words as they mumbled softly under their breath. "Oops."

"A-anyhow, let's try patching your legs up! I can't wait!" Spinel only gave them a side glance, seeing Opal's stubborn expression they could only sigh and let them off the hook for now. "Good point." Rutile went over and grabbed the container full of tree sap, pinching a tweezer with a small ball of cotton and dipping it into the bright caramel sap.

Opal quickly carried Turquoise and laid them on the medical bed, grasping their hand the entire time. Swiftly, Rutile glued the gemstone onto them, the gemstone slipping into Turquoise's uneven edges with a soft clink. Rutile slowly let go and backed away as Spinel walked forward. Spinel was wearing a pair of bizarre goggles, with several extra lenses on the side for magnification. They leaned over and pushed a lens over their eye, observing with great focus on how Turquoise's inclusions behave.

At first, the dull inclusions seem to reject the apatite, staying away from the edge and huddling close to one another, causing Turquoise to temporarily have paralysis. The blue gem stopped responding to Opal's nonsensical chatter and just laid on the bed stiffly. To Spinel's confusion, Turquoise's inclusions started to get riled up, suddenly creating conflict within them as they rapidly moved, some inclusions were pushed over the edge and into their new legs.

"Spinel, I don't think this is a good idea—" Opal called out when they saw Turquoise's eyes started drooping shut.

The conflict of the inclusions were burning off Turquoise's energy as they fell asleep. "Wait." Spinel's crispy cold voice halted the words hanging off Opal's tongue as they desperately turned to Rutile for help. To their demise, Rutile only gave them a side glance before continuing to observe Turquoise's inclusions through the naked eye.

The inclusions seemed to clamor down, smaller groups started to venture into the new area, exploring the area. Soon the conflict died down, a large portion of them still preferring to live in the torso, not crossing the boundaries. The others seemed to settle down in the new area, but it could barely be considered as progress.

"Alright." Spinel pushed the lens back to its original position before straightening themselves, pushing the goggles to their forehead as they had a thoughtful look on their face. "What's the problem? Why did they fall asleep?" Opal was anxious to know the reason as they walked closer to Spinel, trying to prove their need to know.

Spinel only sighed and slumped in a chair. "Turquoise's inclusions were heavily rejecting the new gemstone, they were rapidly moving about at the boundaries, soon creating conflict." Rutile continued on with a mystic glint in their eyes. "The inclusions basically burnt off their energy, their body shut itself off to preserve energy, that's why they fell asleep." Spinel nodded and took off their goggles, brushing their messy hair with their hands.

"I don't think they'll be able to walk for a while, from what I noticed, their inclusions only remained at the edge of the apatite, barely reaching any farther beyond that point." Spinel sighed and placed the goggles on the table with a soft clink. "I need to observe them more to find a better solution. Opal, bring Turquoise here whenever the sun is setting, if I'm not here by then go look for Rutile. We're going to have to continue this for a month at least."

Opal lowered their head as they clenched their fists, their heart pumped with rage at their uselessness in the situation. "I understand." Opal brushed Turquoise's messy bangs away from their eyes as a wave of nostalgia swept their mind.

 _"Opal, what's further beyond this place?" Turquoise asked, laying on their stomach as they felt the slippery and slimy snail crawling over their finger. Opal hummed and said "Empty grass plains, maybe some new creatures. I don't know, I never really took notice." Opal shrugged. Turquoise only sighed wistfully._

 _"I really want to see them. I know half the creatures in this place already." Opal could only sigh and ruffle their blue locks with regret. "I know, but we can't. It's not safe for us to wander too far from the school." 'I won't be able to protect you if any Lunarians attack', the simple reality thumped loudly in Opal's mind, reminding them of their incapability to protect their family._

 _"I guess so. But when I get legs, I want to walk there. You'll come with me right? I want to explore the place with you." The young gem said, placing the small snail onto the ground, Opal watched it slither away. "Of course I'll tag along, who's going to look out for you if I'm not there?" Turquoise only smiled as their eyes curved into charming crescents ._

How can they make that dream come true if they keep holding Turquoise back because of their uneasiness? Even so, _if this goes wrong, they might be in danger,_ the voice whispers. _I don't want that_ , Opal swallowed the empty bitter bile in their throat. But they want it, _how can I say no to that?_

"I'll take them outside, under direct sunlight is best to replenish their energy." Opal said monotonously as they carried Turquoise bridal style, their newly implemented legs dangling off their hold as Opal struggled to carry them with their newly added weight. Opal could only grimace at the weight as they soon placed them back onto the medical bed with irregular breathing patterns.

"I can't, too heavy." Opal pants as they flex their arms, suddenly feeling a wave of exhaustion brushing against them. "I'd be surprise if you could." Spinel walked over and carried Turquoise into their arms, turning over to Opal to ask. "Where to?" Opal beamed brightly at that.

"This way." Opal led Spinel over to the flower patches that Opal always brought Turquoise to. "Here?" Spinel asked as they placed Turquoise down, Opal dipped their head in response. "We always sunbathe here. The butterflies always love Turquoise, Turquoise loves them in return." Opal explained as they sat down cross-legged beside Turquoise.

Spinel said nothing and looked around, agreeing to the younger gem's choice of place as this was a particularly clear area, with nothing but flowers and greenery. Behind was the school, in front is a desolate forest, a good choice for cover if needed. Spinel too joined them in sunbathing, deciding that they've been spending too much time indoors cooped up in their workplace.

"Oh? The hikikomori Spinel is resting and sunbathing outside? With the annoying old' me too! What a revolution!" Opal said dramatically, deliberately trying to annoy the stoic and grumpy gem. Spinel rolled their eyes and bit back a comeback as they decided to cut to the chase. "Was that true earlier? What you said about Turquoise being your partner?"

Opal didn't back away from the question this time, knowing that it's pointless to do so. "Every part of it." Spinel frowned, "You know this will—" Opal only shot them a warning glare, pursing their lips as they muttered, "Don't." Spinel's frown deepened before finally sighing, slumping into the grass. "Well, I tried."

Opal laughed flatly, "I won't succumb to your irrational wishes, Spinel." The purpled haired gem allowed their eyelids to flutter shut as they tried to enjoy the warm sensation of the sun. Even so, it could not mask their disappointment as they sighed inwardly. "I'm not the only one, Opal. You will soon have to lower your head to this, this no longer just a suggestion, it will become your reality soon enough."

Opal rolled their eyes. "Well isn't that just unfair?" "We never wanted this, but we don't have a choice. The Lunarians become more aggressive after every winter, we need someone with the experience and intelligence to help us prevail. You underestimate the power of intelligence too much Opal, that will soon be your downfall." Spinel explained, no longer being able to stand Opal's nonchalant behavior.

"Then why let me take care of Turquoise?" Opal wasn't ready to back down either. "That's because it's been a tradition. We also suspected Turquoise's rough start would be difficult to get together with, someone who is able to adapt easily to new things, you, Opal, was the next best choice." Spinel responded, getting up from the ground and brushing their clothes.

"I'm telling you this to warn you. Having a partner like Turquoise will only bring you down." Spinel walked away, leaving Opal alone to their thoughts. Opal could only lay down and nuzzle into Turquoise's side, arms wrapping around their partner. "Is it wrong to be carefree like this?" The murmured softly.

X  
Turquoise's eyes fluttered open, translucent lashes batting multiple times as a habit. They pushed themselves up, familiar with the texture below them. There were soft fluttering around them, fluttering away and settling at a distance. Sorry little ones. Their sudden movement shocked the butterflies.

"Awake?" Opal asked, shutting the book they had in hand. Turquoise nodded, feeling pleasantly refreshed. "What time is it?" "Late evening, the sun is almost disappearing." Opal remarked. Turquoise blinked, it was still day?

"What happened? All I remember was... falling asleep in Rutile's room." Turquoise trailed off at the end, trying to remember what happened before as they accidentally touched their thighs, which were much longer than they remembered.

"We found material for you, patched them up. Spinel said your inclusions might take a while, so your legs will remain like lead until your inclusions settle in." Opal summarized in a matter-of-fact tone. Turquoise absorbed the information in silence, taking time to let it sink in before seeking to confirm it. "So I can't walk now?" "No, not yet. You will soon, I'm going to take you to Spinel every sunset to let them examine you. We'll find a way to make your legs work."

Opal encouraged, sparking hope in Turquoise. "I understand. I'm sorry for worrying you." Turquoise reached out, grasping Opal's hands. "Once I walk, promise to teach me how to fight!" Opal unintentionally let out an inaudible sound of shock. "Why?" Turquoise tilt their head in confusion, the answer should be clear.

"I want to fight with you. You said I'm your partner, that makes you mine. I don't want to let my partner protect me all the time, I want to be useful too." Turquoise bowed their head, the spark of hope now lighting a flame of determination.

Opal could only sigh as they lifted Turquoise's head by gently pushing up their chin. "How can I say no to this? You only wish for the best, I am in no place to control you. However, as much as I think your determination is good, I will have to disagree—" Turquoise interrupted anxiously, "But you agreed!" Opal placed a gloved finger to Turquoise's lips.

"I'm not finished, be patient. As I said, I will have to disagree until you learn the protocols and I get to decide whether you're fit to wield a sword. Once the conditions are fulfilled, only will I train you. Understand?" Opal said sternly, steel creeping into their voice as they stated their conditions. Turquoise ran these over their head a couple of times before nodding in resignation.

"I understand. Sorry for interrupting you earlier." Opal ruffled their hair tenderly. "It's okay, now," Opal hands cupped their face, finding a way to their ears and plugging them up with their fingers. Before Turquoise could ask, they heard Opal's screaming louder than usual.

"RUBY! HELP ME CARRY TURQUOISE INSIDE!" Turquoise jerked at the sudden sound. Opal released their hold and thankfully elaborating their reason. "Your added weight makes me unable to carry you around, we may have to be trapped in the library in a few months." Turquoise only laughed. "You make it sound like it's a bad thing." They grinned.

X  
"What do you think?" Green Fluorite asked their partner as they proudly showcased their newest and most proudest invention. Spinel nodded with a blank expression. "It's good." Green Fluorite pouted. "Come on! All the work I did and that's all I got?!" Spinel quickly ridden their stoic and simpered, "Mou, that was just my awful habit." They got up, placing their hands on their partner, whose back was facing them.

"Don't talk to me!" Spinel groaned, nuzzling into Green Fluorite's puffy hair, leaning down with a whisper in their ear, "I think your invention is wonderful." Spinel smiled tenderly as Green Fluorite turned around, eyes practically shining with joy. "Really?" Spinel couldn't help but dip his head in confirmation.

That's right, only when they're alone with Green Fluorite, can they speak their true mind.

"Done with your showcase yet?" Rutile slipped in, breaking the milky sweet illusion. Green Fluorite pouted as Spinel reverted back to their stoic demeanor. "Rutile! I wanted to hear Spinel's opinion on my work!" Spinel only crossed their arms and eyed Rutile, they weren't amused that's for sure. "Maa, you can continue it later on."

Lapis chuckled as they pushed their hair back. "How's the progress on their new legs? I heard Ruby talking about it." Spinel straightened themselves as they pursed their lips. "I wouldn't say it went well nor would I say it went horribly wrong. For now, Turquoise has a pair of lead glued on. Their inclusions are something we've never seen before, so I'm going to be observing them for a month or so."

Lapis nodded. "A wise decision." Their lips curled into a satisfied smile as they turned over to Green Fluorite. "That invention of yours will certainly help our young one." Green Fluorite puffed their chest out, a smug smile on their face as they introduced their newest and most proudest invention yet.

"Behold! The wheelchair!" Green Fluorite gestured towards an oddly shaped chair seated amidst the junk. The chair was carved out of wood, with a pair of armrests were propped to the side. The wheels replaced the chair's legs, with a platinum stand screwed to the middle of the wheel to stabilize itself instead of rocking back and forth.

"It seems unbalanced." Rutile bluntly stated, deflating Green Fluorite's inflated head of ego. Green Fluorite coughed out of embarrassment and explained. "I couldn't find a way to stabilize it without the platinum stabilizers. I must admit this is highly unattractive."

Lapis raised a hand to their chin and pondered, "Indeed. You may have found a way to allow the chair to be stable when it's not being used to move around, but taking away the chair's four legs disabled the chair to be extremely unbalanced, when Taru is using it, they must stop for a few minutes to rest before moving about once again because this sort of set up puts a lot of pressure on their core, which should be somewhere between their stomach and chest area."

Green Fluorite thought about the matter seriously and could only sigh in resignation. "I suppose. They will surely be sore after using this for a matter of time, the purpose of this invention is to create convenience and assistance, not to be bothersome." Green Fluorite buried their face into their hands, the ugly cons of their invention being a sore sight to their eyes.

Green Fluorite smiled. "Ah but this was just prototype one." They walked over to another object that had a similar build which was covered by a thin sheet of cloth. They grabbed the sheet, revealing a model similar to the one before, only this time they had four wheels. To everyone's surprise, the four wheels were not the same size.

The two front wheels were much more smaller than it's rear's, an odd design, but it effectively stabilizes the whole structure. "Looks balanced alright," Rutile moved the wheelchair back and forth, it went along smoothly with Rutile's movement.

It wasn't long before their eyes widened as they blurted out another arising problem. "But wouldn't that mean the user is unable to move in turns?" Green Fluorite could only nod and sigh at their invention's imperfection.

"Correct, I spent weeks thinking about how to solve that problem, but I can't seem to think of the solution." Spinel walked over to calm their partner's distress, placing a hand on their shoulder and clenching it gently. _We're here for you._ "That's why we're here to assist." Lapis nodded, along with Rutile who slipped on an apologetic smile. "Sorry for pressuring you like that. I should've realized how my words could affect you."

Green Fluorite only smiled and shook their head. "No, thank you for stating it. With your honesty and perceptivity, I can spot out the mistakes efficiently. No need to be apologetic about that."

"Pardon me, please." There was a muffled voice behind the closed door before the door swung open. "I forgot to ask you earlier but do I have to bring Turquoise to see you today? We just patched them up after all." Opal walked in, with a sheepish smile on their face.

"Uh, no, there's no need." Spinel stuttered, surprised that Opal was willing to civilly communicate with them. If it was before, Opal would still be fuming with rage. Opal nodded. "Okay then, continue your discussion." They walked towards the door as they waved their hand, they had no interest in meddling with others' business. "Wait, Opal, could you stay for a minute?" Opal tilted their head before saying, "Ruby's watching Turquoise for me, if I get back late they'll be mad." "I'll take the blame!" Green Fluorite hastily added when they saw Opal turning away.

Opal seemed to blur before Green Fluorite's eyes, they had a coy smile on their face as their eyes shone with mischief when they reappeared before them again. "Sure, what is it?" The others in the room could only watch with a blank face. Green Fluorite didn't seem fazed, happily guiding Opal over to the wheelchair and explaining their problems with it.

"So basically, the wheelchair has to be stabilized and be able to turn 360 degrees?" Opal inquired, Green Fluorite's length explanation gotten lost somewhere in the back of their heads. Green Fluorite nodded solemnly as Opal lowered their head, a habit of theirs when they were thinking seriously.

A hush settled amongst the group, with each of their brains cranking and creaking with ideas and solutions. They didn't know how long they stood there staring at the wheelchair, time seems to pass quickly when you indulge in heavy thoughts.

"What if we put something in something?" Opal mumbled enough for Lapis and Green Fluorite to hear. They turned to them in confusion, Lapis raising a brow as Green Fluorite took the initiative to ask, "What do you mean?" Opal squatted before the wheelchair as they stretched their hands out to caress the wheels. "What are you going to be using to create this part that joins the wheel to the main structure?" Green Fluorite stretched their hands, a gap between them. "I forged a platinum cylinder to attach it."

"What if we forged a bigger cylinder but we hollow it out? Then we can insert the solid cylinder into the hollowed cylinder. The wheels can be attached to the solid cylinder and the space between the solid and hollowed cylinder will be enough room for it to rotate." Opal explained, a semi blank dead expression on their face as they played out the scenario again in their head, confirming the logic behind their suggestion.

The rest stared wide-eyed at Opal, shocked and awed at the idea. "That's..." Spinel breathed out, still trying to process the information in their head. Opal lifted their head, snapping back to reality as they smiled sheepishly. "Hehe, sorry, I get carried away when I think too deeply about stuff."

"That. Is. AMAZING!" Green Fluorite squealed as they leaped around like a child on a sugar rush.

"I COULD'VE NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT!" Green Fluorite leaped around several times, Spinel busy chiding their ears off as they fumbled around with the junk on the ground, worried that Green Fluorite might trip over and fall.

"How in the name of the gemstones did you think of that?!" Green Fluorite grabbed Opal by their arms as their eyes sparkled with excitement. Opal sweat dropped as they smiled sheepishly. "Well I was thinking of our swords. They have a sheath and we can pull it out easily when needed, but we weren't able to rotate them because they weren't symmetrical on all sides. Since we're focusing on cylinder, I thought if we used that same principle, we'd get the rotational effect."

"I see! That is very intriguing! Now everyone, shoo! I need to work on it immediately!" They turned Opal around and nudged everyone to the door. With a smile on their face as they slammed the door shut. "Well that was... inspiring to say the least." Opal scratched their head as they started to made their way towards Turquoise.

"WAIT WHAT ABOUT RUBY!? MY EXCUSE— NO GREEN FLUO—" Opal dashed back to the workshop and tried to push the doors open, to their dismay it was locked shut, not budging one bit at their pushes. "Mou, Ruby's going to murder me!" They mourned as they bowed their head, their body shaking in fear as the thought of an enraged Ruby was enough to send their thoughts of escaping flying in the wind.

"I'm sure they won't murder you if you go now." Lapis stood there with a bemused smile on their face, they pushed their hair back once more. "I may be able to give you a leeway, but I won't do much, after all you heeded Green Fluo's request, not mine." Opal dipped their head, happy with whatever leeway they could afford. "I don't mind. Quick we must hurry!" Opal grabbed Lapis's hand as they ran towards the flower patch.

X  
For the next two weeks, Green Fluorite completed Turquoise's transportation device.

"How is it?" Opal queried as they pursed their lips in effort to stop themselves from asking about the dangers of the device once again. Turquoise's hands prodded and roamed around the wheelchair, noting where to hold, how to turn, how to move and such. "Thank you, Green Fluorite. This really means a lot to me." Turquoise said jubilantly as they bowed humbly in thanks.

Green Fluorite only smiled tenderly as they embraced Turquoise. "No need for thanks Taru, everything I do is for our family." Turquoise could only wrap their arms around Green Fluorite to express their gratitude, Green Fluorite's puffy hair brushing softly against their face.

"Pardon me." Euclase interrupted with a bright smile. "We've finished the renovations, there are now ramps at all uneven levels, we've also figured out how to build ramps beside stairs that lead to the second floor and it turned out quite well. Would you like to try it?" Turquoise nodded, eager to try out and test their limitations.

"Hold up, Turquoise, you haven't gotten the hang of moving about with the wheelchair yet, maybe we should start with me pushing you?" Opal placed a hand on Turquoise's shoulder, expressing their worry in volumes. Turquoise did stop to think, and they agreed with everything Opal said but, "It's alright, I know when to stop."

Opal could only helplessly nod as they followed closely behind Turquoise, with Green Fluorite and Euclase chatting along the way. "This is the Southern Exit, you two always spend your time sun bathing here, try moving down the ramp slowly." Euclase held a pencil in hand and a clipboard in the other. "Hold tight Turquoise, don't lose hold." Opal said from the bottom of the ramp, in a defensive stance with their hands stretched out in case they needed to catch Turquoise if anything went wrong.

Turquoise nodded, they pushed themselves slowly towards the ramp, immediately noticing the sudden loss of ground and the strength they needed to keep a hold on the wheels to keep themselves going down slowly. They clenched their jaws as they felt the pressure causing their arms to shake, unused to the sudden need of endurance.

"Hey Taru, I feel like we should take a break here." Euclase worriedly called out, seeing the gem visibly strain to go down a ramp wasn't what they wanted. Turquoise shook their head, evidently stubborn with their choice. "Turquoise, this isn't necessary, please, at least we should head back up and allow you to catch your breath again before you try?" Opal persuaded, anxious at the gem's wellbeing.

Turquoise contemplated over it for a few moments before nodding in resignation. Green Fluorite dragged the wheelchair back to even ground as Turquoise slumped with exhaustion. What a disappointment.

"My apologies, Turquoise. I shouldn't have requested you to go slow, that takes more energy out of you. Let's rest here for a few moments before we try it out again." Euclase sighed.

"The problem still stands though, how is Taru supposed to go down? They don't know how steep it is, or how they're supposed to control the speed of them going down." Green Fluorite said. Euclase tapped absentmindedly on their clipboard, faint rhythmic taps in the serene silence.

"Opal." Turquoise called out, breaking the tension as they lowered their head. "Please push me down first, I want to get a hold of how steep it is, or how far down it goes." They felt embarrassed at their choice before, how were they supposed to know how to get down, when they barely knew anything about getting around the school by themselves.

"Very well then." Opal got up, taking hold of the pair of handles at the back of the wheelchair, implemented from Green Fluorite's foresight. The pair made their way before the ramp once more, with Opal pushing Turquoise down this time. They went down smoothly with no interruptions.

"How was it?" Opal tilted their head. Turquoise nodded, "I think I can try it again, by myself." Opal happily agreed, their anxiety lessened by two folds as Turquoise now experienced going down the ramp, awareness tended to prevent accidents.

"Ready whenever you are!" Opal said from below, Turquoise now back above the ramp. They nodded, pushing their way down the ramp once more. Their hands managed to enter a pattern of releasing and holding the wheels to increase speed and stability.

"You did it!" Turquoise released a breath that they didn't know they were holding in as they beamed with joy, hugging Opal's arm that was embracing them. Green Fluorite happily cheered as Euclase smiled as they wrote down a few things on the paper.

"What's that for?" Green Fluorite asked, curious about the contents on the paper. Euclase smiled, "I'm writing about Taru going down the ramp to see if they're finding any immense difficulty, if they do, we might have to remake the ramp to lessen the said difficulty. So far, I'm not allowed to write anything of note yet as Turquoise managed to get a hold of it."

Green Fluorite nodded with understanding as they skipped towards Turquoise and offered them a stream of compliments. "You're exaggerating again, Green Fluo." Turquoise said with a wry smile on their face.

"How is everything going?" A deep voice resonated in the air, everyone turned to the source of the voice, with happy smiles shining as they called out, "Sensei!"

"Everything is going well! Taru managed to get down the first ramp!" Green Fluorite chirped. "They had some struggles earlier, but now they've gotten the hang of it." Opal supplied. Sensei nodded with satisfaction as they placed a hand on Turquoise's head. "Well done."

Turquoise seemed to blush as they hunched in embarrassment. "T-thank you." They mumbled. Sensei then turned to the rest. "Although Taru now knows how to go down a ramp, they are still learning. Do not be too rash about the entire situation, I don't want to see anyone get hurt." They said sternly. Everyone simultaneously nodded.

"Opal, I will prepare a training timetable for you later, you will participate along this routine until Taru is experienced enough to go on their own." "Understood." Opal replied with a shallow nod of their head. Sensei gave the rest of them a pat on their heads before turning away from the group and walking towards the main exit to check out on those who returned from patrols.

Opal watched sensei's ever disappearing back with mixed feelings. They didn't understand why everyone wished for them to become a fighter, and not a patroller. Sure, they were natural in adapting to new situations in high speed, but other than that, their fighting prowess are just terribly average. The school seems fine with Sensei and others like Euclase and Jadeite leading the fighters after all.

"Opal?" Turquoise's soft voice traveled into their little monologue as they placed their hand onto Opal's. Opal shrugged the thoughts off as they smiled sweetly, returning their concern with . "Off to the other exits yes?" Euclase nodded. Green Fluorite sighed, "I have to leave now though, it will soon be time for Spinel and I to patrol the east coast."

"Safe patrols." They chimed as Green Fluorite skipped off deeper into the school.

"Shall we?" Euclase asked, a gentle smile on their face as always. The duo nodded as they made their ways towards the stairs.

 **Truth to be told, I really don't know who's alive or should be missing in action. I only know that Phosphophyllite's not born yet LOLOLOL**

 **What a responsible author I am.**


End file.
